Black IPA gone wrong...

[doomXsaloon]

Any ideas on why this beer tastes so bad? Waaaay too hoppy ( didn't think there was any such thing!?) and had no roast... Just a cascade mess... First time using midnite wheat and blackprintz malts... Maybe lack of carafa made for lack of roast flavor? I've brewed good IPAs and hoppy beers, this ain't one of em! Any ideas? Grains: Fermentable Amount 2-Row Malt 11.5 lb 80% Sugar, Table (Sucrose) 0.8 lb 5% Briess Midnight Wheat Malt 0.5 lb 3% Thomas Fawcett & Sons Caramalt 0.5 lb 3% Briess Blackprinz® Malt 0.5 lb 3% Briess 2-Row Caramel Malt 40L 0.5 lb 3% Hops: Hops Boil time: 75 min Hops Boil time: 75 min Hop Amount Time Columbus (US) 0.5 oz 75 min Chinook (US) 0.5 oz 75 min Chinook (US) 0.75 oz 60 min Columbus (US) 0.25 oz 60 min Simcoe (US) 0.5 oz 5 min Amarillo (US) 0.5 oz 5 min Columbus (US) 0.5 oz 5 min Amarillo (US) 0.5 oz 0 min Simcoe (US) 0.5 oz 0 min Cascade (NZ) 1.0 oz 0 min Citra (US) 1.0 oz 0 min Simcoe (US) 1.0 oz 4 days Falconer's Seven Seas () 1.5 oz 4 days Amarillo (US) 1.0 oz 4 days y Yeasts :1056 IBU 99

1.073 OG
1.018 FG

 

[Yankeehillbrewer]

Hoppy as in too bitter? I see you have a 75 & 60 minute addition, maybe that was too much. What was your OG?

Maybe with all those different varieties of hops some of the flavors are clashing. Just a thought.

 

[Skiffy]

I've been looking at a ton of Black IPA recipes on here, and although I don't have direct experience with many of these ingredients, I think I can help.

First, blackprinz and midnight wheat are much less bitter, acrid, and roasty than black patent/carafa III. It's apparently a much more subtle roastiness. In small amounts it will impart some color with little flavor. The Black IPA recipes I have seen use more much dehusked black malts, which provide the roasty flavor, and the color, without the intense bitterness. Some recipes even call for a bit of chocolate malt.

Second, 99 IBUs is pretty intense, as is a BU/GU ratio of 1.35. I think most IPAs target a ratio of 1, and 1.2 is somewhat of a max. Beyond BU/GU ratios, 99 IBU's would need a good malt backbone for balance. I don't think 85% 2 row/sucrose will provide that for you.

I would drop the IBU's to 70ish, and simplify the grain bill. Increase the dehusked black malt, ditch the sugar, and increase the crystal (or add some munich/victory). You can mash low to dry the beer out.

 

[tootal]

99 IBU's and you're wondering why it's too hoppy!? You didn't mention the AA of the hops but since you know the final IBU's I'm assuming you know this. Skiffy is right, try using the BU/GU ratios for the style when designing your recipe. Hop Bombs are fun but you need to keep them reasonably close to balanced to enjoy them!